With a record number of exhibitors, the biggest business tourism expo in New Zealand’s history has kicked off in Auckland today (13 June) with hopes high there will soon be an announcement on two new convention centres for the country.
MEETINGS 2012 officially opened this morning at the Sky City Convention Centre.
Organised by Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ), this year’s exhibition is showcasing New Zealand’s multi-million dollar business tourism industry to 190 hosted buyers and 475 day buyers from around New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and the United States.
172 exhibitors are taking part in the exhibition, which runs for two days.
At a special media briefing this morning, attended by SpiceNews, CINZ chief executive Alan Trotter said the business tourism industry was in good heart but it was anxious to see work begin on a replacement convention centre for Christchurch and a new international convention centre for Auckland.
Decisions on both facilities are expected within the next couple of months.
“What this industry needs is for the discussion to stop and for building to actually start,” Trotter said.
He said with a scoping study currently underway for a new convention centre in Queenstown, the country could potentially have three new facilities within a couple of years.
“If that happens it is going to take New Zealand into the premier league,” Trotter said.
